A Servant…Humble & Betrayed

John 13:1-30 (May 23)

So many times, before I moved to Texas, I would visit and dread the moment when I had to say goodbye to my little grandson. I knew when I came that a goodbye was imminent, but the thought just made me sad. So, I would make the most of every minute of my time, making sure he knew without a doubt how much his Grammy loved him. I would serve him in any way I could, hoping he would remember all that Grammy did and not forget me.

This is where Jesus finds himself in today's scripture. "Goodbye" is just around the corner. He has spent so much time loving and teaching these disciples. He has truly invested in them. And he wants to serve them well before he leaves them, hoping they will remember his service and remember all he has taught them.

There is something very significant in the process Jesus followed to was the feet of the disciples. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. (John 13:4)

The first thing he did was take off his robe. In those days, the robe was a symbol of who you were and the respect you demanded. So the act of removing his robe was an act of humility, as if he were saying, "I am no longer your Lord. I am your servant."

When he finished washing their feet, he put his robe back on. He has returned back to the role of Lord. It is from this standpoint that he speaks to them about what has just happened.

The idea he is trying to get across to them is that if he is humble enough to do that for them, they should be humble enough to do it for each other. Service to others is a true sign of loving God. None of us should live with the idea that we are better than anyone else. In the eyes of the Father, we are all equal.

How hard it must have been for him to sit there with them all, knowing that one was about to betray him in the most devastating way. I wonder what Judas thought when Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!"

We don't read that Judas jumped up and owned his betrayal. We don't see him try to reason it away. Nope...he just simply sits there quietly, perhaps not fully realizing the power of Jesus and the fact that Jesus already knows it is him.

One year, several years ago, a friend made me a huge tray of brownies for my birthday. Oh, I loved her brownies! There were so many that I ended up putting a bunch in the freezer in my garage. Days later, I got a hankering for a brownie, and went out to get one. To my horror and dismay (if you can imagine), there were no brownies!

So, of course I called all the kiddos in to form a line of confession. I held out the empty tray and demanded to know who had eaten my precious brownies. My 9-year-old son looked me right in the eye and said he did not partake. His 8-year-old sister didn't even blink as she denied any wrongdoing. The 10-year-old niece promised she hadn't touched them.

For some reason, 9-year-old son just seemed guilty. It wasn't a prophetic word from God, but I had the feeling he had enjoyed some delicious brownies at my expense. And those two little girls looked so completely innocent. So off he was sent, to his room, to think about 1)stealing mama's brownies and 2)lying about it. He proclaimed his innocence to no avail.

It was literally almost a year later that sweet little 8-year-old and 10-year-old confessed to having quite the brownie feast. All that time, they let an innocent little boy take the blame for the theft. (And you can believe I reminded him of it often!) They had no problem at all letting him pay the price for their crime. You see, they knew I didn't know who had done it, so they could get away with it.

This is not the case for Judas. JESUS KNOWS! And the disciples wanted to know too. "Lord, who is it?"

Jesus responded, "It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl." He dipped the bread and handed it to Judas Iscariot. As soon as Judas ate that bread, Satan entered into him.

"Hurry and do what you are going to do." Jesus said to him. And out into the night he went.

So many times in life we are betrayed by those we trust. Many times, like my brownie situation (that was a REAL betrayal), we don't know who the culprit is, or we blame the wrong person and then have to backpedal with an apology.

Other times, we know exactly who it is. We know the pain and bitter sting of that betrayal, just as I am sure Jesus did on that fateful night. He looked betrayal right in the face and said "Hurry and do it."

It is only by the strength of God we can approach the betrayals in our life with that attitude. It is knowing that, no matter what someone says or does to harm you, God is still with you. He won't walk away. He won't add to the harm you are suffering. He will bring you through the fires and show you a way out.

Jesus KNEW and he was okay with it. Because he knew what had to happen. He knew his Father was with him. He trusted in the promises of God.

How has betrayal played a part in your life? Have you forged through on the shoulders of Christ, and come out the other end? Are you in the midst of betrayal right now? Are you facing it head on with the knowledge that God goes before you?

Remember... betrayal didn't win in the end.